Medical Assisting

Can I take your blood pressure?

So I have been learning so many cool things in the Medical Assisting  program. We have learned how to give shots in the deltoid (intramuscular), In the fat pad of the upper arm (subcutaneous), In the thigh, and butt..ocks (dorsogluteal, and vastus lateralis IM).

We have learned all the patient positions, how to take blood pressure, temperature, and lots of other things. We even got our very own blood pressure kit. I chose purple.. my favorite color!

The latest thing we have learned has been how to do Phlebotomy (drawing blood). It has been so exciting! For your pleasure I have taken some videos of the experience. If you get faint at the sight of blood, beware!

This is me drawing blood!

This is me getting my blood drawn

Some of my fun classmates!

A lot of people don’t know a lot about Medical Assisting, or wonder what the difference is from nursing. well… I can tell you!

Medical Assistants can be used in a lot of different settings. They can do administrative work. This includes, making appointments for patients, taking calls, etc. They can also do clinical work. This includes, giving shots, taking blood, doing urinalysis. They take patients vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respirations, height, weight). They also take patients into their room and ask them questions before the doctor comes in, and they also teach patients about their conditions and teach them how to take their medicine.

Anyways I have been having a lot of fun with all the things I have been learning and I thought I would share!

Love is a great thing!

We had such a great weekend! At least it was for me… and I’m pretty sure it was for Hans too :) 

We were able to enjoy a wonderful 3 day weekend!

On Friday after my appointment with a tutor, I went with Sarah to go get Valentines gifts for our husbands, which was a lot of fun! After that, Hans and I went to Cynthia’s birthday party ( She is the girl I visit teach) in the lounge, with some other couples from our ward. We played some games and ate snacks and cake, it was good to get together with some people from our ward both that we knew, and others that we didn’t know as well!

On Saturday we went to play dodge ball with our ward team. I ended up sitting out and talking to some of the girls from our ward, and Hans played. Then we went to get breakfast at the crossroads. Hans went to go take a test and then we did homework until later. Then we went to the store and got some stuff to prepare for Valentines day! That night we went to the Valentines dance with Sarah and Jaren, we got there a little late but it was still fun :)

here are some pictures:

Before the dance:

 

The funniest part was when the guy who was taking our picture  said, come on, “pop the leg woman!” to me. haha (I’ll put that picture up when they post all the dance pictures online on the BYU Idaho website)

Here is Sarah and Jaren:

Sunday (Valentines day!)  Well actually starting, Saturday night we got a call saying that we had an appointment with the stake presidency on Sunday morning! We were wondering a little because we had met with them last Sunday, and they said it was a “get to know you” meeting, so we thought is was a little weird that they had called us in again!

So what happened you might be asking yourself?? Hans got called as the 2nd counselor in the Elder’s Quorum! He sang with Mike that Sunday. Mike had gotten called as the first counselor that Sunday too, Weird that they ended up singing together. Anyways, Hans got set apart after church and I went home, cleaned up, and made a delicious lunch :) When Hans got home we ate and then I told him I needed to make some cookies for the Relief Society choir, and he said he would do it for me (So nice!)

I have been really nervous about the Relief Society choir (just our ward), since this falls under my calling, and I have never lead a choir before, I had to figure out the best time to get everyone to be there. After a lot of confusion, we had choir at 5 in the lounge and we had to bring a keyboard. I think it went ok, because i didn’t really practice and I thought i knew how to lead music, but I was much mistaken. Because it is a lot different when people are actually watching you to make cues and stuff. about 12 people showed up, which was good because it was better than i thought. They loved the cookies and asked who made then, I thoroughly enjoyed saying that my husband did :)

We got each other gifts and gave them to each other that morning! Hans got me roses and a heart pillow that I wanted :) I won’t tell you what I got for him, but I’ll tell you that he really liked it!

Valentines night was a lot of fun for both of us. We went all out and bought steak on Saturday so we had steak and mashed potatoes for dinner we even bought A1, it was delicious! We ate dinner while watching the old Pride and Prejudice, it was a good day!

We look so happy!

Monday was our 6th month anniversary! In the morning we had cinnamon rolls, and then of course we did homework for hours ( I don’t know how many, i just know it was a lot). Then we drove to Idaho Falls and used our movie gift card from Grandma and Grandpa to go to blind side, it is a really good movie, we loved it! After that we went to dinner at Applebee's with the intention to get the “Blondie” (my favorite desert) but we were too full to get desert. We got two different meals and shared them. The waitress told us she thought it was funny that every time she came by, we had our plates switched, oh the joys of being married! We sat at the same side of the table and watched figure skating for the Olympics! it was a good day!

This week is going well so far… We have been enjoying the Olympics! although our projector is broken and our clear play. We are grateful that we were able to get a DVD player from Becca and Brad, because I don’t think I could live without movies :)

Mr. Snowman

On Friday we had fun making a snowman (Fabio… that’s his name). We made it in the middle of our apartment complex with Sarah and Jaren. We did it at about midnight, haha. The snow was perfect for packing. It was so fun and then after we went to their apartment and had hot chocolate.

This was about a week ago, so I thought I would post it! On Saturday we also saw Planet 51 with Kim and Brad which was a lot of fun too. The movie wasn’t too bad, it was kinda funny! Anyways it’s almost the weekend, valentines day is coming up, and our 6 month Anniversary is the day after Valentines day :) fun stuff coming up!

I LOVE my Husband!

This is a stress graph. It is important that everyone has stress because without stress we wouldn’t do anything, that’s why, at the stress peak we have peak performance. BUT once you get past the peak, that is the danger zone!

I have been past this peak for a while now. I’ve been feeling very discouraged and frantic. I have so much to do! I’m so sick of school and homework, my body can’t handle the stress. word of advice, don’t take 18 credits or more, it is DEATH! I’ve been having a hard time sleeping, and I haven’t been feeling well. Sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe, which I think are mini panic attacks, and I have a constant dull headache. I really need a break, but if I take time off from my homework, I get behind which makes me even more stressed! I have also been getting very negative, and very selfish.

Hans is the best husband I could ever ask for! Sometimes I wonder what I did so right to have all the blessings I do in my life. Heavenly father knew just what I needed and what would make me happy, and I feel so blessed, and sometimes I don’t think I deserve it.

Hans will do anything I ask, and I’m not kidding, I mean everything. I ask him to drive me to the library for a group meeting, because I don’t want to drive by myself. Even though he doesn’t want to, he takes me there and hole punches a about a whole pack of paper for me and then waits there for me to be done so we can drive home together. I ask him to go get my jacket, my papers,my books, while I sit on the bed and do nothing, and he does. now, I know these are little things, but they sure add up and they mean a lot!

Today I have been really stressed out (of course). Hans came home from work and he was starting to clean up, and I told him I wanted to get a pizza, and a movie. He said he didn’t really want to leave the apartment because he has been gone a lot. But he was still thinking about it. Then I decided to ask him what he wanted to do because we always do what I want.

I grabbed him by his arms and I said “Hans, what do you want to do?”    He said “ I want to do what you want to do.”  I repeated “ no, what do YOU want to do?”

He said “ I want to do the dishes, clean up the apartment, and put together the bookshelf, I want to do it for you, because you are stressed.”

I said “ I’m ok, I’m a little less stressed, what do you want to do.”

He said, “I just want to make you happy because I love you”

I asked him one last time and he said “ a movie sounds good, but I still want to clean and put up the bookshelf for you.”

So he put a pizza in the oven, cleaned up the dishes and picked up the apartment and now he is putting up the bookshelf. Best husband ever!

We’ve almost been married six months, which isn’t really that long I know, but I can tell how our love grows for each other as time goes by. I don’t believe it when people say that “In Love” feeling goes away over time. I don’t feel “In Love” all the time, but who does really? There are just those special moments when they do those things that show love to you. For me it’s when Hans does things for me or when we spend time together. For Hans it’s when we kiss or hold hands.

I just love seeing how much he loves me! He just looks at me and his eyes look like they are melting and sparkling. I call them his “lovey dovey” eyes, he just looks so lost, and sometimes I prepare to catch the drool (haha Just kidding). The funny thing is, I only noticed it a while after we got married and it seems like it happens more as time goes by. I ask him why he is looking at me like that and he says “ you’re just so pretty! and I love you SO MUCH!” anyways, I didn’t mean this to be so mushy but I can only hope that I can be the best I can for him and that I can show my love to him just as well as he shows his love for me.

I’m so grateful for everything, and to be married for all eternity to Hans Michael Petrich!

We have a lot of icicles hanging outside our apartment, and Hans likes to pick them off and throw them into the snow below. He usually comes into the apartment with them after work. Makes me laugh every time! That thing is huge.

Just an update :)

I wish I had something exciting to talk about! But I don’t… just a life filled with stress and no time, haha. It’s been a while though so I thought I would post.

Snowy Rexburg= Snowy Sunday shoes!

The snow was pretty deep today……

The past 2 weeks it has been stressville here! I thought I would have been doing good on my goal for working out 5 days a week, which I was. Until I said to myself, who am I kidding? I honestly have had NO time, I realize this may sound a little lazy, but I tried studying while on the bikes, which was ok but I didn’t get much done because I was huffing and puffing my brains out. But seriously, I don’t have enough time as it is. I go to school and I am on campus for group meetings and such from 9-5. Then I come home and eat and then do homework, and study for the rest of the night. I also have about 2-3 tests a week, so I have to set aside an hour to go take the test and a few hours of studying. BUT I still have that goal to exercise more and I’m going to keep trying to accomplish it. I was doing really well for a while, but I was getting really sore which added to the stress, so we’ll see.

I have a story to explain my stress. On Thursday I had about a million things to do. I had my religion class 9-10, then my Law and Ethics class 10:15-11:15, then i had a study group at 11:30-2, at 2 I had another group meeting, and at 3:15- 4:15 I had another class. So I pack my bag full with all the books I need and I head out the door. I’m about to be late so I’m in a rush, practically running through the snow with the heaviest back pack ever. Now, in my Medical Law and Ethics class my teacher has been telling us that she wants everyone to print and fill out their study guides before we come to class. So I usually do that, but I made sure I had the one for Thursday. As I was running through the snow, I realize that I had grabbed the wrong notebook, and I didn’t have my study guide. I was going to be late so I didn’t think it would be a big deal. So when I get to that class, my teacher talks for a while and then tells everyone to put everything away except for their study guide. I raised my hand and I said “I finished it, I have everything written on it but I completely forgot it!” all she told me was “oh well, that’s too bad”. Well we had a pop quiz and I did horribly on it. I was so frustrated and at my breaking point that I almost started crying in the middle of class, no joke. I guess that is an indicator that I have to take things a little slower and realize that I’m probably not going to be able to get an A in every class, seeing as I have about 8 classes.

And I have about 10 stories just like that………

Hans has been very stressed too. He has work all day and then classes at night, and he doesn’t get home until 7pm. Usually when he gets home the apartment is a mess because I haven’t had time to do it. So, being the wonderful husband that he is, he usually cleans up for me.

Work has been very boring for Hans lately (or so he has told me). He likes his co-workers though which is good. There are only 4 of them total, and that is including his boss and the sales guy who isn’t there much anyways. I got to meet the people he works with for the Christmas party a few months ago and I think they are very nice. Of course, he is also doing very well in his classes. He took his first accounting test yesterday and he got a 92! He is taking economics and accounting this semester… which is a break from all the computer classes.

I have some pictures of me in my scrubs for Medical Assisting! It’s funny because people look at me differently when I’m wearing my scrubs, I guess I look way smart when people know I’m doing medical stuff :)

So in case anyone was wondering, Hans is graduating (in Computer Information Technology) at the end of July! It is getting close and we’re excited. We are definitely going to have a party, so if you would like to join us, mark it on your calendars…. I think it’s around the 24th of July…..

After we both finish all our classes ( yes mine too, all I’ll have left is an externship), we are moving to Pocatello so Hans can get his masters in business there. We found out the program starts on August 25, so that is when we’ll be heading out. Pocatello Idaho is about an hour to an hour and a half away from Rexburg.

Well, we thought our car was fixed, but it’s not! Last Saturday we were just sitting around and Hans went to go get us a delicious stuffed pizza from Papa Murfys (so good!). So he went and came back and we ate the pizza and sat around for a while. Then, Scott and Leann called to see if we wanted to go with them to the new yogurt place. They were already there, so we were going to go meet them there. So we headed out to the car ready to go, but when we got in the car it didn’t start! So they came and picked us up and we went with them. But weird! We don’t know what the heck is wrong with it, but it is getting annoying. On the bright side, the yogurt was good, and we still watched x men and played on the Wii with Scott and Leann after.

We still have yet to go in and get the car checked, so Hans has just been disconnecting the battery every time we get out of the car and then connecting it every time we have to go somewhere. Pretty inconvenient if you ask me.

This weekend hasn’t been that exciting. We went to Idaho Falls on Friday and we got groceries, then we went to the mall and about 15 minutes after we got there everything closed. what is up with malls closing at 9? Yesterday I did about 6 1/2 hours of homework, Hans took a test, and we went to the ward bowling activity. We also went to a fireside and Elder Ballard spoke, then we rented a movie and had smoothies. Today we are going to dinner at Becca and Brads! (Hans’ cousin and her husband).

I really enjoy weekends because I don’t have to worry about going to school. BUT being cooped up in an apartment all day doing homework until my brain explodes is not my idea of a good Saturday. Oh well, for now that is life, I have to use Saturday as my catch up and preparation day. I guess we still do some fun things though.

Starting the Winter Semester

Rexburg is COLD! For some reason I don’t remember it being this cold last semester. Actually it has been pretty warm lately (warm meaning 20-30 degrees). There were a few weeks at the end of the fall that were SO cold, we’re talking –15! So 20-30 degrees is feeling pretty warm to us.

Well, we don’t really have very many exciting things to report on, but I have been trying to write about every week. Lets see, I got a calling! I’m Relief Society music leader. I get to pick the hymns, conduct them, and pick someone to share a music moment every week. That should be fun, and I’m thinking it will be less stressful than the calling I had as Relief Society Instructor in my last ward! But, I knew that something to do with speaking had to come to me, because I think I’m supposed to work on that. So, shortly after I got my calling on Sunday, Hans and I were asked to speak in church next Sunday :( For him, that’s not a big deal….. for me on the other hand… AHH! So I told Hans that I would speak for 3 minutes and then he could have the rest of the time :) haha.

Other than that we are just Chugging along. I have SO much homework all the time, which means Hans has been having to pick up on my slack… when he can since he is gone a lot too. But I’m so glad that I have him, except sometimes I tend to be a little lazy….

Last weekend we went on a fun double date with our friends Sarah and Jaren. I have been going to the gym with Sarah sometimes and we found that we both had gift cards to Applebees, so we decided to go together. We went there for dinner on Saturday, and then after we went to play mini golf, and some arcade games, it was a so fun!

Sarah and Jaren

here we are!

Mini Golf with neon lights :)

After playing some arcade games, we redeemed our tickets and got our “Sticky Men!” We raced them on the wall, which was really fun! RANDOM! We ended up having a crowd gather around to watch our little race… so funny

So there is this game we have been wanting to get for our Wii, it Super Mario Brothers! It’s like the old Super Mario World for the Nintendo but it is more high tech and you can play with four people instead of just one. We have been wanting it since before Christmas, but we put it off because it was a little too expensive for our taste. Our friend’s Scott and Leann got it for Christmas so we played it with them and we loved it and decided to buy it! It is really fun, if you haven’t tried it you should.

For Christmas we also got a late wedding present ( Oh we just love those!) it is an ice cream and slushy making machine, cool! We hadn’t tried it yet so we invited Sarah and Jaren over for cake and homemade ice cream.

Here is Hans and Jaren trying to make the ice cream. We soon found out, after the ice cream was still liquid, that we were supposed to freeze the cylinder for 24 hours first! I guess we’ll have to try again another time.

Sarah and Jaren soon discovered the head scratcher I got for Hans, I think they really like it, haha.

When Hans and I were engaged, Krista got him a tabletop Croquet set at the thrift store, it’s tiny! We have started playing it with our friends and it is really funny, but also really fun :)

Yes, we do have a bucket, flashlight, and cup. That is because we still have a leak. They fixed the ceiling but there still is a leak and the vent isn’t put back in yet, and we have to go get a new bookshelf. Oh well! We’re kinda used to it now.

Anyways, that’s all for now! We hope everyone else is doing well!

Back to the Real World

So, here we are again. Back to school and staring at computers, doing homework all the time.

We were going to head back to Rexburg on Saturday, but when we checked the weather it said that it would be better conditions on  Monday. We both thought that school started on Wednesday or Thursday, which would work out fine because we would have a day to rest and unpack, go grocery shopping, you know the dirty work. WRONG! While checking my email I found something from one of my teachers that said “I can’t wait to see everyone on Tuesday!”  I’m glad I checked that, but we were not prepared! so now it is the end of the week  and the apartment is still a mess and the Christmas tree is still up. Due to the fact that we are running around trying to get everything done to start the semester.

These things include: Unpacking, getting food, getting books, paying tuition, getting on fast grad, paying for health insurance, getting new internet, homework, figuring out classes and making a graduation plan, the list goes on! I have to stop before I stress myself out ahhhh! Not to mention I’m trying to figure out this acid reflux thing and I have a UTI, not fun!

I was thinking about everything, and where we are, and I’m feeling pretty good. I feel like we’re on the right path, yay! Hans is going to graduate in the summer, I’m on my way into the medical assisting program and we’re feelin pretty good. Then it’s off to Pocatello for his masters and I’m off  to getting some hospital experience…… EXCITING!

This semester is going to be different though! I’m nervous to start the Medical Assisting program, but I’m also pretty excited. I’ve got some scrubs to feel all doctory in. I’m going to be learning how to take blood, do urine analysis, and give shots (yep, that is in all the places you can think to give shots in.. haha) It should be interesting!

BUT something that is going to be weird is that we aren’t going to see each other as often as before :( Hans is going to be working full time for his internship, and he is taking night classes. So, he will be gone from about 8 in the morning until almost 8 at night! That leaves us to only about 4-5 hours of time together (not counting sleeping). Sad, but true.

So, I’m going to probably have homework and other stuff to work on while he is gone, seeing as I’m going to have 18 credits, GASP!! But I think I’m going to try to start going to the gym with some friends more often, and maybe I will feel like cooking more often than I do….. which is almost NEVER. It is going to be an interesting semester!

Some More Holiday Highlights :)

So now that  we’re back in Rexburg I can put some pictures from my Camera on!

At the end of my First Aid class we got certification cards! Now being trained in CPR is one things, but being trained in First Aid is harder than you might think! If you get a serious injury I can keep you alive until you get to the hospital :) That class was actually pretty fun, and sometimes really gross too.

Anyways! Moving on…..

These are pictures of us waiting in line for Santa, as soon as we got there my dad went and got us some Chocolate to snack on.

 

Here are some pictures of everyone with Santa!

 

Here are some videos of us trying to figure out where we were going for dinner.

Here we are at The White Fence Farm.

They had a better Santa there :)

Random video! Skyler has a fish tank in his room (the room we were staying in) One night, I found a lazer pointer and we decided to point it in the fish tank and the fish went crazy! it was funny :)… oh the ways we amuse ourselves! haha

 

We have a tradition of Racletting, which is when you have a mini grillin the center of the table and then you take whatever meat, vegetable, or anything you want and grill it on your own with everyone around the table! It is fun, underneath the grill you can also melt cheese to put on some cooked potatoes. We also do fondue! We weren’t able to do this on Christmas day so we did it for new years day instead, here are some pictures and videos!

Here are some other random pictures:

This is Krista trying to jump and get Cameron’s dangling legs :)

I found the most amazing thing! my mom and I went to Bed Bath and Beyond one night and I found a head scratcher! Hans loves it when I scratch his head so when I found this I thought it would be pretty funny to bring home to him. He actually likes it! haha so funny.

Alright that’s all for now!